Biography:

Ilya Nikiforov is a founding member and revered leader of EPAM, a pre-eminent Russian firm spanning Kiev, Minsk, London and Washington, DC. The firm’s arbitration team is consistently regarded as the top (co-) counsel in Russia and is the only team from the CIS ranked by the Global Arbitration Review in its GAR 100.

Chambers Global says Nikiforov “deserves his high ranking because he is an excellent academic and a very smart guy with lots of experience”.

Chambers Europe claims he “has an excellent reputation for his litigation work. Undoubtedly the best-known contentious lawyer at the firm, he wins praise from all corners of the market for his highly detailed and business-oriented advice.”

A visible figure in Russian arbitration world, he is considered a Tier 1 dispute resolution specialist by Chambers and other rankings. He is an active member of the professional community, and has served as an officer of the IBA arbitration committee and the ABA Eurasia committee; vice chair of the ICC commission on arbitration. He is also a member of the Russian Arbitration Association, and an LCIA councillor.

In international arbitration Nikiforov is sought after in finance, energy, construction and IP/IT matters. He is listed as an arbitrator by WIPO, VIAC, ICDR, SCC and national institutions, and in Asia (SIAC, first panel member from Russia). He was admitted to plead before higher domestic courts, ICAC in Moscow.

Ilya is an adjunct lecturer at St Petersburg State University Law School and has published a substantial number of works on Russian business laws. He co-authored a commentary to the RF Civil Code.

Ilya is fluent in English, and acquainted with foreign legal systems as well as continental and common law traditions.

WWL says: Ilya Nikiforov is a key player in the market, regarded by peers as “an excellent choice in Russia”.

This biography is an extract from Who's Who Legal: Arbitration which can be purchased from our Shop.

Nominees have been selected based upon comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practice lawyers worldwide. Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.